Egyptian minister indicates how many million tons of waste collected in 2021

CAIRO – 6 January 2022: Minister of Local Development Mahmoud Shaarawy stated Wednesday evening – during a meeting with a private firm operating in the sector of solid waste handling - that 47 million tons of waste of all types were collected in 2021.

The minister was examining with the firm's representatives the collection, transport, and recycling of waste in Sharm El Sheikh – which will be hosting COP27 later in 2022 - turning it into a green town.

Minister of Environment Yasmin Fouad stated in a phone-in Monday that Egypt currently has 28 recycling factories, noting that the target is raising the figure to 56.

Speaking of carbon emissions, Fouad clarified that the ministry had installed 115 observatories. She added that the plan is making them 300 by 2030, where emissions should be cut by 50 percent.

The minister explained that the sources of carbon emissions in Egypt have been identified as vehicles, factories, and garbage. Fouad pointed out that 90 factory chimneys have been connected to the national emissions network, while biogas units have been supplied to farmers, eliminating the burning of rice straw.

Director of Medical and Electronic Waste Program at the Ministry of Environment Tarek al-Araby revealed to press in November part of the plan set to rehabilitate the waste management infrastructure in the country.

The plan includes nine waste transfer stations, and 20 sanitary landfills.

The official noted that the equipment necessary for mobile waste transfer stations has been delivered, and that 4,200 garbage collectors have registered themselves on the website aimed at integrating informal workers in the sector.

In May 2020, Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad stated that the strategy set to combat coronavirus includes four main pillars. Those are safe disposal of medical waste, a system for dealing with solid waste, monitoring how the environmental system deals with pollution hotspots, and environmental awareness.